Knockdown shower unit



Nov. 11, 1952 M. s. VOORHEES KNOCKDOWN SHOWER UNIT 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 Filed Jan. 23, 1951 INVENTOR. "7 J V0 O/Ql-It-fd A TTORNEY Nov. 11, 1952 M. s. VOORHEES KNOCKDOWN SHOWER UNIT 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Filed Jan. 23 1951 R me m m M V J. V

ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 11, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention relates to a knock-down shower unit adapted to be manufactured and shipped in a relatively compact, flat, knock-down condition, and to be readily assembled by the user and installed on the bathtub. As will appear from the description below and the accompanying drawings, by use of the invention, the conventional bathtub may be readily converted into a combined bathtub and shower unit.

The device is formed of essentially three members constituting the side and rear walls, provided with interengaging means to facilitate assembly and disassembly thereof, and with features adapting the device for use in connection with tubs of different dimensions.

Further advantages and features of construction are described below and illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a knock-down shower unit embodying the invention, shown positioned on a bathtub rim, the latter being indicated by dotted lines,

Fig. 2 is a similar view, taken from a different position, of another form of the invention,

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view, taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view, taken on line 44 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view, taken on line 55 of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 6 is a further perspective view of the invention, taken angularly from a position below the assembled unit.

The knock-down shower unit of my invention is generally designated by the reference character IL! in Fig. 1, and comprises an elongated plate II of arcuate cross-section (Fig. 3) provided with straight parallel longitudinal edges l2, I3. The plate II constitutes the rear wall of the unit when assembled. A pair of flat plates I4, I5 are provided, said plates constituting the spaced side walls of the unit when assembled and being provided with straight free longitudinal edges I6, I'I marking the entrance to said unit. The side plates are bent at their other longitudinal edges 20, 2I, to define ofiset portions I8, I 9 of generally L-shaped cross-section, terminating in said free longitudinal edges 20, 2!, which mark the rear edges of the side walls. The longitudinal edges 20, 2| of the side walls and the longitudinal edges I2, I3 of the rear wall I I are provided with complementary interengaging means generally designated by the reference character 23 in Fig. 3, which may be formed by doubling the material of said edges upon themselves to define U-shaped channels.

The side walls I4, I5 are generally of corresponding mirror image construction. The description of side wall I5 below will suffice for both. The bottom edge 24 of side wall I5 is bent as at 26 to define an offset portion preferably curved to fit over the rim R of the bathtub to position the unit thereon. The top edge 25 of said side wall is preferably bent as at 21 to define an angularly directed flange. One or more brackets 28, 28a are adjustably connected to the top edge flange of one of the side walls for securing the unit to a room wall. The brackets and flange may have elongated slots through which bolt or nut or similar means 29 may be passed so as to permit an adjustment to be made of the position of the brackets on the flange, the brackets in turn being provided with apertures 30 through which any suitable means may be passed to secure the brackets to the room wall. Preferably, if desired, only one of the side walls, as, for example, the side wall I5, may be provided with brackets and, similarly, if desired, only one of the side walls need be provided with clamps 34, 34a for a purpose presently explained. The shower head 3| is secured to a pipe 32 mounted on the rear wall I I by means of brackets 35. Said pipe 32 may have connected thereto a flexible hose section 33 of any desired length. The flexible section may originally be coiled upon the rear wall II, being moved to the desired position by the ultimate user when the unit is assembled. The flexible section 33 may be pro 'vided at its end (not shown) with a coupling to connect the same to the bathtub faucets which would be preferably at the end opposite that on which the unit is positioned for facility of manipulation. Suction cups 36 (Figs. 2 and 5) may be secured to the arcuate bottom edges 26 of the side walls. A re-enforcing flange plate 31 may be secured to the upper edge of each side wall (Fig. 4). An elongated stabilizing bar 38 may be secured, as by means of sockets 39, to aligned points of the side walls to re-enforce the same. In Fig. 1, two of said bars are shown. The number and disposition thereof is a matter of selection and preference. The free longitudinal top and bottom edges of the side and rear walls are preferably doubled upon themselves for re-enforcement. The top edge of the rear wall I I may have a plate 43 secured thereto for re-enforcement.

The device assembled as above described and shown in Fig. 6 is adaptable to tubs of diiierent widths. It appears that, as a practical matter, the range of dilference in dimensions of bathtubs presently in use is not very great, but the device is adapted to accommodate itself accurately to such difierences as do exist by virtue of the features of construction above noted.

The stabilizer bars may also serve as supports for shower curtains. The specific outline of the parts shown in the drawings and above described may be varied within the spirit and scope of the inventiomas defined in the appended claims. For example, in Fig. 1, the flat plates 14 and I5, constituting the side walls of the device, are shown as of corresponding outline. In Fig. 2, a shower unit I9 is shown having a side wall H with the other side wall either eliminated or substantially reduced in length as at I5 so that the unit will be open at that side for facility of entry and exit. In such case, the stabilizer bar 38' connecting the side walls may be angularly disposed or curved, if desired, as shown in Fig. 2.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. .A knock-down shower attachment for a bath tub comprising a rear end wall and side walls extending from opposite sides of the rear wall, said rear wall being formed from a single sheet of metal and being U-shaped in horizontal cross section and having vertical side edge portions bent outwardly back upon themselves and formingslip-joint lips, the side walls being also formed of sheet metal and having rear portions bent inwardly and then rearwardly and forming inwardly projecting panels having rearwardvly projecting extensions bent inwardly back upon themselves along their rear edges and forming slip-joint lips interengaged with the slip-joint lips of the rear wall and releasably holding the side walls in engagement with the rear wall, said side walls having lower end portions bent in wardly and forming ledges of a width adapting them to rest upon outwardly rolled upper portions of side walls of a tub, the said ledges having depending flanges along their free side edges, a pipe mounted vertically against the rear wall and having its upper portion provided with a spray nozzle at its upper end, a horizontally extended pipe section at the lower end of the pipe, curved to conform to the curvature of the rear end wall and extended to parallel the side wall adjacent said rear wall, and being adapted to be secured to said rear and side walls to connect them together in assembled relation and a hose connected with the lower end of said pipe and detachably secured to lower portions of the rear wall and one side wall transversely thereof.

2. The structure of claim 1 wherein suction cups are carried by the ledges in depending relation thereto for gripping the portion of the tub over which the ledges are disposed and hold the side walls against movement along the tub.

MILTON S. VOORHEES.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 464,172 Dean Dec. 1, 1891 2,173,693 Nilson Sept. 19, 1939 2,262,312 Blanch Nov. 11, 1941 2,424,537 Aronheim July 29, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 2,898 Great Britain Feb. 4, 1911 130,158 Great Britain July 25, 1919 593,048 Great Britain Oct. '7, 1947 

